Alkali fluorides, dissolution process

Rocket propulsion oxidizers, 18 384-385 Rocks, weathering of, radiation and, 3 299 Rocksalt, crystal structure of, 2 6, 29 Rock-salt-type alkali halide crystals, dissolution process, 39 411 19 alkali chlorides, 39 413, 416 alkali fluorides, 39 413-415... 

Results obtained from studies on alkali fluoride and chloride crystals show that alkali metal ions (cesium in this case) dissolve first in the former, whereas chloride ions dissolve first in the latter. The differences are accounted for by the ionic sizes of the cation and anion, which are significantly different in the two cases. The dissolution of the second ion occurs soon afterward, although we cannot predict when. If the size of the cation and anion is about the same, the dissolution process is retarded. 

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